Pile driving apparatus



N09. l0, 1931. J. H. THORNLEY ET AL 1,831,210

PILE DRIVING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 2, 1927 frufen on@ I MWW Patented Nov. 10, 1931 A UNITEDl STTS PATENT OFFRE l.

. JOSEPH H. TI-IORNLEY, or CHICAGO, AND GLENNv I., snnnwoon, OF.k OAK PARK, ILLINOIS,

AssIGNons To WESTERN .FOUNDATION COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILIiINoIsA .Con-

PORATION or ILLINOIS l j v I PILE'DRIVING APPARATUS Application meanovember 2, 1927. seriai No. 2304zr1.v

The present invention relates primarily to pile driving apparatus of thetype employed for driving wood piles below ground level, such apparatus having its principal-utility in connection with the making of composite piles wherein a concrete section is joined Vto rthe upper end of a wood pile section. How'- ever, as will hereinafter appear, 'certain fea-- .tures of our invention have application'to` other types of apparatus employed in pile driving and forming operations, such as .to the ordinary core and casing which Vis frequently employed for sinking the hole A*in which a cast-in-place pile is to be formed.

With reference to the present embodiment of our invention for driving piles, one of the particular 'objects of the invention is'vto improve upon the construction ofcore and easing which is usually employed for driving wood pile sectionsbelow ground level. AThe-core, as is well known, is adapted to engagevover the upper end of the pile to have the blows of the hammer transmitted therethrough to the'p'ile, the core serving as a follower for followingthe upper end of the wood pile-v down into the ground., The casing surrounds Vthe core and extends downland embraces the upper end of the pile, in :which relation it aids to guide the pile during driving Aand also serves as a hollow extension within which the upper concrete portion can be anchored to they upper endjof the wooda' pile.v

According to the usual practice of making* these composite piles, this casing is withdrawn after the upper concrete section has been joined to the wood pile section.

The preferred practice most generally followed in making these cores is v'to construct the sameof along length of heavy pipe or tubularshell, to the lower end ofwhich is secured abase casting having a socketthere-l in adapted. to engage overthe upper end "of the pile. This socket serves to prevent the driving blows from splitting or shattering the upper end of the wood pile. The operation ofl driving the pilethroughthe inter posed core generally results in the aforesaid socket seizing or becoming wedged over the upper end of the pile, necessitating the exertion of considerable liftingpressurejon the" Ving the casing up out of the ground; The casing is subjected to earth pressure, and to core in order to separate the latter Yfrom the" v head of the pile. -The joint between the pipe,

section and the baseca'stingof the corek mustV be capable of withstanding these lifting stresses, and itis' with the manner of form;V

ing this jointvthat one of the primary features of our invention is' concerned. lMore specifically', this joint is of a swaged type which, in its initial forming, is produced by endwise compression pressure between ther pipe section and the basefsection. lBy employing'such form of joint, therdriving blows imparted to the core Vin the Operation of driv ing a pile are eifective to retain the v.swaged form of the joint. Hence, if the lifting press,

soV

sure exerted in freeingthe core from one piley should have any tendency togloosen'the joint, the same is immediately reformed to itsprevious effectiveness bythefsucceeding Operation of driving the next' pile. Another feature of the inventionxisconcerned with the manner of joining the upper end of the casing to the lifting collar through which the lifting forces are exerted in pullthe friction established between the soil and the outer sides ofthe casing, so that the withdrawing of the easingfrequently requires the exertion Iof considerable lifting pressure on lthe collar. V.Here again weemploy avswaged type of joint to jointhe collar-to the casing. The driving head on the upper end of'the core is arranged lto cooperate'with the'swag'ed joint, such drivingheadhaving a swaging i or j oint-forming surface which engages with the swaged jointbetween the casing andthe collar.' The'drivingblows imparted to the core for driving the core and casingintothe ground, A are Vtransmitted 'to the lcasing through the contactl of this swaging surface with the joint.' AThus in each operati-on `of driving a pile,the driving blows transmitted tol the casing are utilized tomaintain `the swaged joint between` thecasing `and the collar inetfective condition. w Another *feature* of 4our` A invention is concerned withI the manner of establishingV a temporary. waterproof joint between the low-V er portion of the casing/and the sides vof the illust-rating the preferred'manner of'ca-ri'yf 1 ing out` our` invention Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the core and casing engaging over the upper end of a wood pile in the operation oi' driving the same;

l5 Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View on, a largerscale5 showing the swagedl yoint which joins the lower end otzthe-.tubular core-f e section tothe base orsocket member;

'yiewi showing the-waterproof@ oint which is -westablished betweentherlowei end of the 'cas-- p 25 `ingand the sides ofA the pile.

.i Referringito` Figure 1, a typicalwood pile if isfindicated at 8. i- When this wood pile isV to.

.-bei*employed asthe lower-portion of acomi fposite pile, :the upper; endl ofasucli wood lpile is wood -pile section andthe upper concrete sec-,`

, .-casing, 12, the latteri surrounding; :the i core andY being of sufliciently large diameter toene .wter'idndownV overl fthe upperfen-d'of the wood pile 1 As-fpreviously*remarked the :core;11- 40xr functionsE as a" follower through which 'driviing blows farestransmittedfronithepile drives:

wingihammerl toftlie1 wood ipile.: The lower :ends of thezleads of a typical: l.pile driver der-1' .i rick are `:indicated at=` 141, lbetween: which leads i= of: the pile'.VV The' core 11 comprises 4ailengtli concrete section of the pile upon the upper nbase Section 19 is formed in this recess.

shoulders for interlocking in the concrete section which is subsequently formed on the upper end of the wood pile. The socket 21 is proportioned to engage over such wire coil 22.

The -base 19 is formedfwith a `shoulder 23,

Y seeFig. 2,'-.fi.'oni Awhich rises an` annular flange or neck portion 24;. The pipe section 11 tits down over the neck 24 and. enters an annular groovey (ir-recess '25 "formed in thev shoulder 23 at- 'the' base" of the* neck 2li.-Y 'ilheswaged joint which couples-the'pipe section 11'l to the It will be noted that the two sides walls 26 oi wardly, so that the recess is wedge shaped in profile. The 'force oi?` tliefdriving. blows inipartedto the upper-.end offithecore is borne i by the loweredge of theipipe` section bear- Figure-3 is a similar sectional' 1vieweshow- 20.ing the Yswaged joint whichj oins the :upper Y end of the casing to; the hoi sting `collar lz.l and 'f Figure l' is another :fragmentary sectional ing; against 4the -bottoinrwall 27-` of lthe recess.

sectionA being Vswaged 4 or. expanded. outwardly into pressure engagement with the cli-verging sidewalls 26 of* the recess. To augment-this f goeusuallyftapered. :1s-indicated vat 9 so as to l-fa- Y.. cilitate..the formingv oii'L a- Vjoint-between the Pswaging operation7 -az-wedgeishaped ridge 28 may be extendedup'zroin the center of. the; vbotton'r-wall 27 to-aot asasplitting or dividing member gi'or spreading: athe opposite side surfaces ofthe pipe :section: outwai'dlyiunto pressure engagement with vthe A'divergent side -walls`26 of therece'ss. vIt-will'fbe:obser\ed' .that the present Y constructionrprovides a swaged or expandedv Joint between the' stem fportion 112- and .basei iportion :19;:` through Theiappa-ratus .for driving, these wood -piles4 35 below ground levelscomprises a. core11-and which-joint. the drivingblows aretran-sii'iitted to the pile, withv the result 'thati the force of the drivingfblows serves-to-maintain the joint 1 in'tightly-swaged engagement.- --Hence, it the 45 the coreiandl casing are rgiiided in.y the; driving of heavy pipe ori-tubular shell 11l constituting.

...fastem for 'the' coreytofthe upper. end of which isI suitably-secured yardriving lieadl. :Thef .f- 50;;blows of thehammer13 -areimparted to this i'lhellower` end offthetpipe section llfycarries n acorenbase 19 havi'ngay taperedii-socket21*in.

11i-:its lower end; adapted tof engage over` .the `talifting` pressure f, necessary f tof fseparate vthe socketr 21 froinf'the. tapered head 9ct one oi the; piles should tend towloosenthis joint.v

thesaine isinimedi'atelyreformed to its pre- Vious .tightly fswaged, engagement bythe operation of' driving the next succeeding pile. The-casing:l2v is.--constructed:'oi a length of heavy -pipeor tubular shell 124, of suiiici,l ently-largeL diameter to pass: down? over .the

`coresbase 19. and aroundtlie upper eiidoi'the wood pile 8..'-1This casing isadapted toiiollow the coi'e` 11 down into the: ground', Witlr'its ylowerend embracing the :upperfportioiioi' the wood pile. -Secured tothe upper-end of the ...casing-section12 is ailifting collar v3l Vhen .iti isedesired toepullffthecasing out-"off` the ground, a-:hoisting yokelor similarmember.

indicatedy infdottedlines .at 32,A -iswengagedf f under i the lower.` shoulderI ot. the collar 31,

gpered upper end'91o the wood pile. Byfdrivl:

1" 6C.V ing-the 'pile through this taperedA socket", fthe.

upper end of the pile is'preventedromsplitftinglf orz shattering.,- llneinostfinstances7 the f collare 31 is secured to.tlienuppeihend oitliev a; tapered end 9 of;` thei `pile f willhaveazi coil tot heavy Wire ,22ywound thereon: andestapled 1 65. thereto; whichiw'ireaffords ia multiplicity, of

and lifting forces, are. applied to z this( yoke i throughv Vtacklev riggingy whichy passes through Vthe.sheave-bloclis carried bythe yoke. v The casing 'f section. 12 by aa swaged j oint'. which `isalso arrangedtobe-refoifmed or-retained in :tightly swaged engagement 4byth-e driving ,'blows ofi :the hamnierfzfy In Kmaking; this oint.

:the uppeieportionothe collar 31 is providedl with a beveled or sloped inner surface 34 (Fig. 3) in which is formed a recess or groove 35 having an outwardly sloping wedge surface 36. The upper end of the casing section 12 is swaged or expanded outwardly into this groove, thereby providing a. swaged joint through which the casing is lifted when the hoisting yoke 32 is engaged under the collar 31. A shoulder 37 at the ripper end of the groove or recess 35 engages the upper edge of the casing 12 and prevents the collar from being driven downwardly along the casing. In driving the core down into the ground, the Vcasing is compelled to follow the core downwardly through the transmission of driving forces from the upper end of the cpre to the upper end of the casing, and these driving forces are utilized to maintain the swaged joint. To this end, the driving head 16 of the core is formed with a wedge shaped neck portion 38 which extends downwardly from a transverse shoulder 39 adjacent to the lower end of the driving head. A cylindrical guiding portion 41 extends downwardly from the lower end of the sloping surface 38. In the operation of driving a pile, the sloping surface 38 bears against the slopping inner surface of the swaged .joint,.thereby transmitting the driving forces of the core to the casing through this joint. Hence it will be seen that the surface 38 functions as a joint-forining surface, and if there is any tendency for the swaged joint to loosen in the operation of lifting the casing from the ground, the joint is innnediatelyv reformed to its previous condition in the next pile driving operation. The cylindrical end portion 41 of the driving head engages within the cylindrical end of the casing and serves to center the upper end of the casing with respect to the core. The upper ends of the core and casing receive the guiding influence of the derrick leads 14 either through direct engagement of the core head 16 therewith, oi' by virtue of the engagement of the core head with the base of the'hammer 13.

In order to form an effective joint or splice between the upper end of the wood pile section and the superposed concrete section, it is desirable that water and soil beV excluded from the lower end rof the casing so that the concrete can lsurround the tapered upper end 9 of the pile in direct contact therewith. To this end, we have provided means which affords a substantially waterproof joint between tlie lower end of the casing and the sides of the pile, which joint is maintained during the driving operation and after the removal of the core. Referring to Figure 4, the lower end of the casing has aring or sleeve 42 secured thereto, within which is formed a flared or sloping sealing surface 43. This sealing surface is adapted to have wedging engagement over alieavy sealing ring 44 which is secured to the pile. Preferably, such sealing ring consists of allengthfof tarred rope which is' wound around the pile and nailed or stapled thereto. The rope is prefer` ably wound with two oi' more closely spaced,

this ropecgrommet or sealing ring. As will be noted from Figure l11, the casing 12 is made considerably longer than the core 11 so that thek lower end ofthe casing extends down over a considerable length of the pile. The

rope gromniet or sealing ring 44 is secured. y

to the pile a measured distance down.` from the upper .end thereof, so that the-driving blows transmitted from the coie head 'to thc upper end of the casing will first force the tapered sealing surface-43 down intoV tight `compression engagement over the rope grommet, before the core base 19 engages with the head of the pile. Thus the driving blows of the hammer are utilized to compress the rope grommetbetween the surface of the pile Yand the sloped sealing surface 43, whereby a' tight joint-is created between the casingand pile which will effectively exclude water and soilv from the interior of the casing. It will also vbenoted that the pressure engagement between the rope gormmet andthe sealingsuiface 43 affords a lower point of guiding sup-VV port lbetween the pile and casing which aids the casing iiimaintaining guiding restraint on the pile.

After the wood pile has been` driven desired depth the core is pulled up out of the casing, such being performed by suitably con.- necting the tackle rigging to `the driving head 16. Thereupon the upper concrete sec'- tion of they pile is formed Lwithin the casing l12, the tapered upper end `9 yof the pile being imbedded in'this concrete section. In forming such concrete section a light shell may be lowered within the outer casing to engage over the upper end of the wood pile, and the concrete and any reinforcement placed within this light shell. Any other preferred practice of forming the upper concrete section may be followed, the present invention not being` concerned with the details thereotf After the concrete section has been completed.

the outer casingr12 is pulled up out of the ground in the manner above described.

While thev pile` driving apparatus hereinbefore described constitutes the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that the swaged joint illustrated in Figure 2 may be employed for uniting the tu' bular stem and base portion of a core designed for sinking holes in the ground; and `similarly the swaged joint illustrated in Fig,

3 maybe employed for uniting the hoistingl to 4the collar tothe upper Aend of the easing which,Y

is usually employed in conjunctiomwith such core, this combination of coreandcasingforz sinking holes being well known;

to secure byLetters Patent, ,is-e

' l. A pile driving apparatus for'driving a` wooden pile comprising the combination Of'a. core having driving and guiding engagement with the upper end of said pile, a tubular shell operatively Connected to said core and having a driving head on the upper end thereof, a casing extending down 'over the core-and the upper end of the pile and having a'collar on the upper end thereof for engagement with the driving head, a conically flared portion at the lower end of the easingv and af grommet-on thepile engaging withy the iared. portion of the easing to form a water-tight seal when driving'force is applied tothe driv-A ing. head.

2;.Apile.driving apparatus for drivingj a.

wooden, pile comprisingzthe combination of a core having, driving and guidingengagement with the upper end of said pile,v said core comprising astein portion having adriving.` head on the upper end thereof, a casing extending down over thecore and the upper end of the pile and having a collar on the upper end thereof for engagement with the driving head, a conically flared portion. at the lower end of the casing and a. grommet on the-pile engaging with the flared portion of the-casing to form a water-tight seal when driving force is applied to thedriving head..

3. A .pile driving apparatus-for driving wooden piles comprising the combination of a core having a socket therein adapted to fitoverV the upper end of the pile for driving and'guiding engageinentwith' the pile, said. corecornprising an upwardly extending stem portion having a driving head on the upper endthereof, a casing extendingdown over the core and the upper end of the pile, a shoulder onsaid casing, a cooperating shoulder on said core adapted to seat uponv the shoulder on Said casing for. transmitting driving `blows fromV said core to said casing, a eonically ared portion at the lower end of said casing, and agronnnet on the pile spaceddownwardly from the upper end thereof and. engaging with the flared portion of said casing to form awater-tight seal when drivingforee is applied to the driving head.

JOSEPH H. THORNLEY.

GLENN- L. SHERWOOD. 

